Brown Butter Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
I LOVE snickerdoodle cookies. I make them every fall, and while they’re delicious any time of year, it’s the cinnamon that makes them feel like a fall cookie to me.
That cinnamon-sugar coating, the smell coming from the oven, a cookie still a little warm from the pan — it all belongs with cooler mornings and sweatshirt weather.
The weather has been particularly fall-like this week, so I was inspired to add pumpkin to the mix. And man oh man…these are so yummy.
Brown butter and a pumpkin twist
These cookies start with brown butter, which adds a nutty, toasty flavor that goes so well with pumpkin. A little pumpkin pie spice brings those warm fall flavors, and each cookie gets a generous roll in cinnamon sugar before baking.
This version uses baking powder and baking soda instead of the cream of tartar in a classic snickerdoodle. You won’t get quite the same tang, but you’ll still get that familiar cinnamon-sugar coating — with a delicious pumpkin twist. Truth be told, I made them this way cause I was out of cream of tartar. But I have a feeling I’m not alone there!
A new little baking trick
I tried something I’ve never done before: blotting the pumpkin with paper towels to remove some moisture. It was super easy!
Pumpkin adds quite a bit of moisture to cookie dough, which can make cookies more cakey. Blotting some of it out helps keep these cookies from heading too far in that direction.
Measure the pumpkin first, then spread it onto several layers of paper towels and gently press with another towel. Use all the thickened pumpkin that remains —don’t add more to bring it back to the original measurement.
I liked taking out some of that moisture and then adding a little half-and-half to bring the dough together. One tablespoon was just what mine needed.
A few tips before you bake
Let the brown butter cool before mixing so it’s just warm. Give the finished dough time to chill, then roll the cookies generously in cinnamon sugar and gently flatten them before baking.
Watch the cookies more than the clock: the edges should be set, with centers that still look soft. Let them finish setting on the baking sheet before moving them to a cooling rack.
Put on some coffee, bake a batch, and share a few while they’re still warm. There’s always someone who would love a cookie.
Brown Butter Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Makes about 14-16 cookies depending on your desired size
Cookie dough
½ cup (1 stick) butter, browned
⅓ cup pumpkin purée, measured before blotting
½ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon half-and-half
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine salt
1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice — I used Trader Joe’s
Cinnamon-sugar coating
¼ cup granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the milk solids turn golden brown and smell nutty. Pour into a mixing bowl, scraping in the browned bits. Let cool for about 15 minutes, until just warm.
Spread the measured pumpkin onto several layers of paper towels. Gently press with another paper towel to absorb excess moisture. Scrape off the thickened pumpkin. Use all of it without adding more.
Whisk both sugars into the cooled brown butter. Add the blotted pumpkin, vanilla, lemon juice, and half-and-half. Whisk until combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Stir into the wet ingredients just until combined.
Refrigerate for 45–60 minutes, until firm enough to scoop.
Heat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment. Stir together the coating sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
Scoop the dough into approximately 1½-tablespoon portions and roll into balls. Roll generously in cinnamon sugar and place about 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Gently flatten each into a thick puck.
Bake for 10–13 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers still look soft.
Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
